Clay County Christmas Classic Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Today and tomorrow Clay County High will host the Clay County Christmas Classic. Six of the 10 games are between girls' teams. This story will only dissect and preview the boy's portion. The first team listed will be the "home" team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The Monday Games</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3:00 PM - Upper Cumberland vs. Macon County (2-9): </strong>Macon County is a team of relatively short, physically strong players. Senior forward <strong>Dalton Hudson</strong> provides rebounding. Point guard <strong>Correy Shrum</strong> is critical to the team competing. Shrum is probably the quickest player on the team. Broadly speaking Macon County is not a very good team. They lack explosion and the basic ball-handling at the guard spots.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/PrepHoopsTN/status/1736807654662844841?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/PrepHoopsTN/status/1736807654662844841?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>7:30 PM - Richland (5-3) vs. Clay County (4-3): </strong>The Bulldogs are down a touch from recent years. There is no Tyreke Key, no Mason Sharp or Grant Strong. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Still, Head Coach Robert Edwards is one of the best around. He surpassed 500 career wins last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lance Burchett</strong> can go. <strong>Nate Adams</strong>, another junior will be key. A senior pair of<strong> Andrew Smith</strong> and <strong>Wyatt Browning</strong> must win the hustle plays. Richland is beatable and Clay County is the event's host. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/ClayCountyBBall/status/1732260538028093847?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/ClayCountyBBall/status/1732260538028093847?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The Tuesday Games</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3:00 PM - Macon County (2-9) vs. Richland</strong> (5-3<strong>): </strong>It is entirely possible that both of these teams enter Tuesday coming off Monday losses. At the same time both could be Monday winners. Richland will have the bigger challenge facing the host team in the nightcap. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gage Kirk</strong> (Richland) is a top player with unusual size (6'6" 205) for a Class A player. He scored 22 points in a blowout win at Mt. Pleasant. <strong>Luke Jones</strong> managed double figures against Loretto. <strong>Jameson Andrews</strong> scored 14 points against Wayne County High last week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/Richland1978/status/1731404243813249221?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Richland1978/status/1731404243813249221?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>7:30 PM - Clay County vs. Upper Cumberland: </strong>The event ends with the Clay County Bulldogs hosting the UC Rams at 7:30 PM. It will be the fifth game of the day and 10th between Monday at 1p and Tuesday at 9p. Event organizers will be drained by this point. The Bulldogs should be scrapping for their second win of the week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Predictions</span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mon:<br>Upper Cumberland wins<br>Richland wins</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tues:<br>Richland wins<br>Clay County wins</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->